Our Next Meeting: January 29th

Mexican Consul General visits Rotary

The Ambassador
has extensive experience in trade, migration, human rights
and boarder issues between the USA and EUM and has represented
Mexico in Washington, S. Korea, Yugoslavia and in the Mexican
Consulates in San Diego and Los Angeles

Last MEETING: January 22nd

Welcome, Invocation, Thought for the Day

Henry said that the Democrats better watch
their backs – Obama’s
and the Democrat’s idea that big government is the solution
to all ills may be growing old with the electorate. And
by the way “say goodbye to heath care reform"!

Visiting Rotarians

Earl Kilmer, our current District Governor, Laura
Day and Gary Boyle, Assistant
District Governors, were in attendance to today. There
was also a fellow (sorry,didn't record his name, -MH) from
the Albany club who was trying to promote and PBS Antique
Roadshow type fundraiser. More on this later.

Rotarians with Guests

Henry Kelman brought his daughter to the club today.

Sunshine Report

Jan Brown reported that her dad, Don
Hardison, was feeling
better after his coronary surgery.

Announcements

Earle Brown hyped the Crab Feed. “Be
there at 6, and get started early – It looks like
we have 160 members” he said.

We're sure there were other announcements but evidently
the scribe dropped his pencil under the table. ;-)

Special Events

Happy and Sad Dollars

Jim Young lamented that City Richmond may lose the goose that
lays the golden eggs, referring to recent (and probably untrue)
report of Chevron’s possible closing of its Richmond
Refinery.

Norm's Nonsense

You know you are getting old when...

-You order a 3-minute
egg in a cafe and they ask for the money up front.

-You are
faced with two temptations and you pick the one that will get
you home earlier.

THE PROGRAM

The visit of our District Governor

Earl
Kilmer, our current District Governor, delivered
a impassioned plea for greater membership development and
international suppport. Seventeen very generous Paul Harris
Society members in our club have made it the highest per
capita Foundation donor in the District.

Much of Mr. Kilmer's speech addressed the familiar criticisms
often voiced by local clubs:
• When we give money to the Foundation we never know
where it goes.
• We have a whole lot of problems locally that our
members want to spend their time and money on.
• International problems, though they may be worthy,
are too abstract for our members to get their heads around.
• At our club Foundation donations often exceed money
spent locally and thus weaken funding for our local programs.

Mr. Kilmer responded to these criticisms by reminding us that
half of Foundation donations are returned to the district after
a three year period and the other half is spent on international
programs.

Notes prepared by your scribe, Mark Howe

Upcoming Programs

February 5
Since we just don't seem to be getting it, Joy of Romance author
Joy Nordenstrom returns for a refresher course.

February 12
Rotary Peace Scholar Galen Ages discusses the history of
Mexican labor unions, shining light on a corrupt
system that controls the country's
labor sector.

Have a suggestion for a speaker?
Please pass along the name and contact information
to Jim Young.